Interview with Deborah Outlaw J.D.
Beck: Hi Deborah. Thanks again for your time. I am honored to work with you to stay on top of developments regarding the Hearing Aid Tax Credit issues as they make their way through congress!
Outlaw: Hi Doug, nice to be with you again, too.
Beck: I guess it's been about three months since we last spoke. So for those just joining the discussion, let me start by reviewing the "Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act.," the goal of which is to make hearing aids a little more affordable for many people. In fact, the new legislation amends the IRS Code of 1986 to allow a tax credit of up to $500 per ear, for a hearing aid purchased by those aged 55 and older, and also for those purchasing hearing aids for their dependants. We know that some 90 to 95 percent of people with hearing loss can be successfully treated with hearing aids, yet only about 1/5th of them wear hearing aids. Of those people needing, but not owning, hearing aids, there are about one million kids in the USA, and then there are an additional 9.7 million adults over age 55 years. For around 30% of those not purchasing hearing aids, money is a key stumbling block! Therefore, I was hoping you'd give us an update on the US Senate and House bills. Where are we now and where are we going?
Outlaw: Well, since we last spoke, there has been some very nice excellent progress. We're continuing to increase the number of co-sponsors in the House for "H.R. 3103," and I'm happy to tell you, we've got 47 now have 49 co-sponsors as of today in the House, as well as demonstrated interest in the Senate companion bill.
Beck: Wow, that's quite impressive.
Outlaw: Not only are the numbers is the overall support growing, but we have a have a nice very strong bi-partisan split among the cosponsors split, so that which makes for a stronger foundation too, and as it indicates that the issue of hearing healthcare is not a so-called "Republican" or "Democrat"ic issue, but indeed, impacts all of us.
Beck: I understand there is a Senate version just starting, too?
Outlaw: Yes, theS. 2055, the identical Senate version of H.R. 3103,bil has been introduced by Sen. Coleman (R-MN) and we're hopeful that we can gather support in the Senate too. The Senate version is S-2055 and we already has one co-sponsor too. Clearly, we intend to work hard to increase the Senate's awareness of this issue, much as we have been doing in the House for the last several months.
Beck: How many bills have been introduced toin this Congress?
Outlaw: So far, Tthere have been over 7,000 bills introduced toin the 108th Congress, and most of them wind up going nowhere which will never be enacted into law. This is the #1 key reason, which is why grassroots support from consumers, providers, and everyone who supports hearing health is so critical. We need to really demonstrate grassroots - meaning constituent - support interest, in order for H.R. 3103/S. 2055 to garner the level of congressional support necessary for the bill to be enacted, and not get lost among the many other issues that are competing for Congress' time and interest.
Beck: Seven thousand! Oh my goodness! And if I recall my sociology class from a hundred years ago, each Congress sits for two years, and the bills that are not passed just sort of die out?
Outlaw: Yes, that's correct. Although once with the strong degree of demonstrated congressional we have support we already have, we can fully intend to re-introduce the bills in the House and Senate, if we need to, forin the 109th Congress. The 109th Congress will be sworn in as of January 2005.
Beck: Is there a particular "magic number" of co-sponsors that you're looking for?
Outlaw: No, not really. Our bill is a relatively small bill in the overall scheme of things, so the more support and visibility we can achieve, the better.
Beck: It's my impression that bills like this rarely make it through the congressional maze of their own accord. Are you thinking this will be "piggy-backed" onto another piece of legislation, or is this more likely to be a "stand alone" bill?
Outlaw: Good question! We're always looking for other bills to work with. Small Bbills like ours rarely sail through Congress or the Senate on their own on their own., Instead, they're almost always combined intopart of a larger bill, or a similar issue. For this reason, we are always looking for other large legislative vehicles on which we could attach our bill. Again, that's why the level of demonstrated congressional interest - or cosponsors - is so crucial. If we could find a topical bill to move with, that would be great. If another bill was going to the floor, we could possibly work together. Of course, as this is an election year, the focus for many people is the election itselff.
However, we are indeed pushing hard to get this moving this year! But, everything depends on everything, so we have to keep our eyes open and look for co-sponsors and additional opportunities.
Beck: And what can you tell me about having the Senate and House versions working at the same time? What happens if either the House or the Senate passes a bill containing the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act, and the other doesn't?
Outlaw: Ideally, we try to have the bill pass togethethe House and the Senater, but you're right, it could be that one body of cCongress passes theour bill as part of a larger health or tax-related legislative package, and the other does not. In that case, both the House and Senate would have to "conference reconcile the differences in " their respective bills, andyes, you could have slightly different versions approvedthen a comprom would have to be addressed develop a compromise version, which would then be returned to both Houses of Congress for a final vote..
Beck: So, in an extreme case, you might have version "A" in the House, and version "B" in the Senate, and then the compromise might be version "C," which actually was never brought before either body, but would which would be the bill enacted as law.
Outlaw: Yes, and our goal would be to ensure that the Hearing Aid Assistance Tax Credit Act was included in this compromise version that can happen! So we have to be very cautious to make sure everyone's best interests are represented, and as you know, we have 2 senators from each state and 435 representatives across the nation, so again, significant grass root support is really important for us.
Beck: What do you recommend professionals and consumers do to help push this issue forward?
Outlaw: Well, the single most important thing to do is to write to your Senators and Representatives to make sure they know that you support this legislation, and that you want them to support this too, as co-sponsors H.R. 3103/S. 2055. As a former Senate staffer myself, I also recommend that our readers take the time to meet with their elected representatives - either in Washington, D.C. or in one of their home offices, and to get to know the staff member for their Members of Congress who handles health legislative issues. Each congressional office has at least one assistant whose job it is to follow health-related issues for his or her Member of Congress. Picking up the phone to call and introduce yourself to the health legislative assistant can go a long way to help show that voters "back home" really care about this issue. Also, I recommend that our supporters write letters to the editor of their local papers. It really does help to acquire grass roots support, and draw the attention of congress. AdditionallyFinally, as this is an election year, there is never a more ideal time to let the candidates want to know what issues are most important for their constituents, so they are receptive to hearing from the people.
To contact your U.S. House of Representatives Member, it's pretty easy, click here: https://www.house.gov/writerep, and to write to your U.S. Senators, click here: https://www.senate.gov.
Readers can also log onto HIA's website, https://www.hearing.org for a selection of sample letters they can send to Congress to increase support for H.R. 3103/S. 2055. We have sample letters for professionals, as well as consumers of hearing aids and parents who need to purchase a hearing aid for their child.
Beck: Thanks Deborah. I appreciate your time and help in pushing this forward for the benefit of everyone needing assistance to acquire hearing aids.
Outlaw: My pleasure Doug. Thanks for your help too!
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Deborah Outlaw is an attorney and principal in a health care consulting firm, providing legislative, regulatory and medical coding services to physician specialty groups, allied health providers, and device manufacturers. She has extensive experience in developing health care and public policy in Washington, D.C., having worked on Capitol Hill for a U.S. Senator, and in two Presidential Administrations. She can be reached at DeborahOutlaw@comcast.net.
